You Big Talker

Even before we moved into our home here in South Philly, we were happily greeted by our block captain, Courtney, with brochures on planting trees, recycling, and more. She told Rob and I about “cafe-ing” which is a South Philly thing where you pull out your camping chairs and sit on the sidewalk with neighbors. Almost every day, she picks up trash and advocates for the neighborhood and people. The (non-hostile) takeover A couple months ago Courtney, her partner Matt, and Rob and I decided to “take over” a trash-filled vacant lot down the street, planting flowers, installing fence posts, … Keep goin’

Stranger Xenos (Greek: ξένος) “stranger;” or “guest friend.” Will you permit me (as a proud 1/2 Greek) the stereotypical Greek-splaining of the meaning of a word with Greek roots? (As in, “Psychology — that’s a Greek word! Psy-cho-logia, get it? Weren’t the Greeks great?”) The word “xenos” translated as “stranger” in Greek embodies a range of meanings from possible enemy to a most welcoming “guest friend” and “one entitled to hospitality” supported by the well-known Greek hospitality. I’m not saying that Greeks aren’t capable of xenophobia, but they fear a good God or two; at least that is the tale … Keep goin’